Famous Tesla will be here for Hot Nite

COMMUNITY/ ENTERTAINMENT — One of the most famous cars in the world will make an appearance at Saturday’s Hot Nite in the City car show.

The Tesla Model S electric vehicle, described by Consumer Reports magazine as “the best car it has ever tested,” will be on display at Second Avenue and Victoria Street. So will two other electric cars, a Nissan Leaf and a Smart Electric Drive.

“We want to let the people of Kamloops have a close look at these amazing cars,” said Gisela Ruckert, owner of the Smart car and vice chair of the Kamloops chapter of the B.C. Sustainable Energy Association, which will have the electrics on display.

“Kamloops has a few EVs on the road now, and these three offer a really good showcase of the range available.”

The Tesla Model S is owned by Paul Carter of Vancouver. “I love the quick acceleration, exceptionally smooth ride, comfort and the beautiful design inside and out,” he said. “I wish I had purchased it earlier.”

All three of the electric cars to be featured at Hot Nite are pure plug-in electrics that have no gas tanks, spark plugs or exhaust pipes.

“When considering the purchase of an electric, you really need to do a life-cycle cost analysis. You pay more up front, but when you do the math, you’ll likely save money over the life of the car,” said Ruckert.

“Plus, you’re not putting out greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. Best of all, though,” said Ruckert, “I haven’t been to a gas station since I bought the car.”

While EVs work well for many, there are still some challenges, she said. The range provided by batteries is generally less than what can be provided by a tank of gas, and charge time needs to be built into road trip planning.

The EVs will be on display Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the car show.

The 20th annual Hot Nite in the City Show-n-Shine will cover 13 blocks of the downtown core Saturday and will be followed by Music in the Park at the Riverside Park Bandshell at 7 p.m.